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Retro Post: Urban Navajo...Panties and Flasks

NAVAJO: People of the southwestern United States who are currently the largest Native American tribe in North America. They speak the Navajo language and call themselves the Dine ("di-neh", the people). Many are members of the Navajo Nation-an independent government structure which manages the Navajo reservation in the Four Corners area of the United States.

URBAN OUTFITTERS (NASDAQ: URBN) : Publicly traded (and trendy) American company that owns and operates 5 retail brands including Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People, Terrain and BHLDN. They are headquartered in Philadelphia Navy Yard with 176 locations nationwide. They are described as selling 'kitshcy and ironic merchandise'.

What do these 2 random things have in common? Not a damn thing at first glance. Or maybe a few damn things seeing as how I'm sure you've seen (and/or purchased) some jazzy little items with "Aztec" or "tribal" print from Urban. It's just those things that got them in a whole heap of...manure. Urban put out "Navajo"- yes, that's the brand name they used-panties and flasks...only to get an abrupt, Peta-style face palm from the Navajo Nation.Unbeknownst to most people (myself included), putting the name Navajo on any item, let alone boyshorts and liquor vessels, is a serious no-no, and you WILL get dealt the hand of legal papers to cease and desist production of said products...unless of course you do it the proper way following the Federal Indian Arts and Crafts Act. Which in other words means handing over a percent of proceeds to the group for using their name. I mean hey...it's only right. On one hand you have to consider the history of the Navajo people and everything they were put through. On the other, Americanized hand, if Paris Hilton's ass decided she could sue anyone for using her "coined" phrase "That's Hot"...then by all means the Navajo have every right to ask Urban to pay it forward by cutting a check (after producing less 'blasphemous' products under the Navajo brand), or stopping production altogether.

However...I just can't help but wonder...how did they find out about it in the first place? Perhaps someone's job is to do searches for "Navajo"..or...was someone in the organization simply doing tome shopping and came across the undies...and/or flask?

We may never know...but someone should check to see if these items are on sale yet.

Retro Post: Urban Navajo...Panties and Flasks

NAVAJO: People of the southwestern United States who are currently the largest Native American tribe in North America. They speak the Navajo language and call themselves the Dine ("di-neh", the people). Many are members of the Navajo Nation-an independent government structure which manages the Navajo reservation in the Four Corners area of the United States.

URBAN OUTFITTERS (NASDAQ: URBN) : Publicly traded (and trendy) American company that owns and operates 5 retail brands including Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People, Terrain and BHLDN. They are headquartered in Philadelphia Navy Yard with 176 locations nationwide. They are described as selling 'kitshcy and ironic merchandise'.

What do these 2 random things have in common? Not a damn thing at first glance. Or maybe a few damn things seeing as how I'm sure you've seen (and/or purchased) some jazzy little items with "Aztec" or "tribal" print from Urban. It's just those things that got them in a whole heap of...manure. Urban put out "Navajo"- yes, that's the brand name they used-panties and flasks...only to get an abrupt, Peta-style face palm from the Navajo Nation.Unbeknownst to most people (myself included), putting the name Navajo on any item, let alone boyshorts and liquor vessels, is a serious no-no, and you WILL get dealt the hand of legal papers to cease and desist production of said products...unless of course you do it the proper way following the Federal Indian Arts and Crafts Act. Which in other words means handing over a percent of proceeds to the group for using their name. I mean hey...it's only right. On one hand you have to consider the history of the Navajo people and everything they were put through. On the other, Americanized hand, if Paris Hilton's ass decided she could sue anyone for using her "coined" phrase "That's Hot"...then by all means the Navajo have every right to ask Urban to pay it forward by cutting a check (after producing less 'blasphemous' products under the Navajo brand), or stopping production altogether.

However...I just can't help but wonder...how did they find out about it in the first place? Perhaps someone's job is to do searches for "Navajo"..or...was someone in the organization simply doing tome shopping and came across the undies...and/or flask?

We may never know...but someone should check to see if these items are on sale yet.